Hall of Magical Cabinets
by NightcatMau
Summary: I know, rubbish title, but it's been a while for me. Valkyrie's night begins with a call from Skulduggery and a possible case. But where can she go when the case takes a turn for the strange and an old enemy may be back from the dead? Rated T to give me wiggle room later. Set after the novels in an AU, so spoilers, obviously.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Skulduggery, Gordon, Echo Gordon, Ghastly or Erskine. This is set after the novels, but an alternate universe sort of thing. Val is in her 20s at least, story is in her POV. (And the full title of the room is the fabled Mystical Hall of Magical Cabinets, but I took liberties. Sorry, Val.)

* * *

I was working late at night, so bored I'd started writing down short stories with Uncle Gordon. Well, Echo Gordon, when my mobile rang. I tried to ignore it, we were just getting to the good part, when it rang again. _Shrilly_. I sighed, knowing the ring, Skulduggery. My partner and best friend had gotten rather strange lately and I wasn't sure why.

"You better answer that." Uncle Gordon said, amused. He knew I was avoiding Skulduggery and he found it funny. "We've not even published yet and you have your own obsessed fan." He teased as I dug my mobile out, grumbling.

"What?" I growled into the phone. There was a pause, then the velvety voice I could listen to all day came on.

"Well, Hello to you too, Valkyrie. And here I though you loved me." My hand tightened on the phone at his dig. It wasn't funny and he knew it. It wasn't my stupid fault I'd fallen in love with my partner.

"No, I don't." I managed to grate out.

"So you say, and yet you do. I was wondering, if you aren't doing anything terribly important, how you'd like to visit the Hall of Magical Cabinets with me. That, after all, is where you come alive."

"Shut up, Skulduggery! Wait, you took a case without me?"

"No, but I wanted to check something."

"And Erskine is going to just let us waltz in there without a good excuse?" I asked doubtfully. Erskine was a good guy and didn't like rules, but he didn't let us do everything we wanted either. Well, he did, but other people gave him problems for it, so sometimes he actually acted like our boss.

"Our exalted Grand Mage already knows and approves." I felt the hair rise on the nape of my neck. Not even Skulduggery liked busy work. This felt like a case. A case no one could know about.

I looked at Gordon and he shrugged. I agreed and rang off and soon enough was climbing into the Bentley. "Seat belt." Skulduggery murmured. He'd gone back to his old disguise but I'd known him long enough to know he was staring at me.

"What?" I growled as I complied.

"Nothing, it's just that clothes do come in colors other than black, you know. Maybe Ghastly can make you something new. Pink is a fetching color for young ladies your age."

"Shut up and drive, Skulduggery!"

"Yes, dear." Skulduggery fell silent and switched the radio on, but the whole way to the Sanctuary he kept looking over at me. Not moving his head but side glances I didn't think he knew I noticed. My partner was getting stranger and stranger and I hoped the case would take his mind off things.

* * *

 **OK, at this point I wanted to see if I could still do SP and find Val's voice. Not sure if it will go on, this was a test bit.**


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Skulduggery, Tipstaff or Erskine.

* * *

"Skulduggery, is something the matter?" I asked trying to keep the growl out of my voice as we pulled up to the Sanctuary. "Is it the case?"

His head jerked in my direction. "What makes you think there is a case?" He asked and my confusion deepened. He was acting odd, I wasn't even sure if he knew why he'd driven us to the Sanctuary as we got out.

"Are you all right?" I asked more gently as he stood beside the Bentley.

"Hmm? Yes, just thinking." Skulduggery tilted his head in a smile and his voice was curious. "Has anyone ever told you how pretty you look in the moonlight?" He asked.

"Shall we go in?" I asked, laughing nervously as I avoided his question. Skulduggery didn't ask questions to be mean or lead me on, but he knew how I felt for him. He had to if he kept teasing me, or maybe he didn't. "Well, are we going in?" I asked when he kept staring.

"Whatever for?" I felt my heart ice over. This reminded me of when he'd come back and he hadn't come back normal. "I'm quite content to stand here all night. Moonlight, my Bentley. A pretty girl."

"Hall of Magical Cabinets?" I tried, hopefully. Skulduggery looked at me with his head tilted curiously while stuffing his gloved hands into his pockets. "You said you wanted to check something." I added.

"And I have, but we might as well visit Erskine while we are here." Skulduggery said then started walking. I hurried to keep up, wondering what was going on. Did he really not remember why'd we'd come? Did he suddenly have an ability to "just know things" like Saracen? I was seriously worried about my partner and best friend.

* * *

Erskine had us shown into his office, shooing a hovering Tipstaff out to get us coffee. "And what brings you two here this fine evening?" He asked and we both looked at Skulduggery who shrugged.

Erskine instantly looked worried. Skulduggery couldn't be controlled by any magic that we knew of, and he did more than his share of strange things, but he never did anything without some reason. "Are you all right?" Erskine asked carefully.

"I'm fine, I wanted to test out a theory tonight and I did." I exchanged confused looks with Erskine, but he caught on faster than I did.

"And?" He asked.

"And." Skulduggery agreed then he looked at me.

"Coffee?"

"I have coffee right in front of me." I pointed out.

"Oh, Valkyrie, when will you ever learn? No one actually _drinks_ Sanctuary coffee, well, except for Erskine, but he always did have rubbish tastes."

"Hey!" Erskine laughed. "OK, then, you two scat. I've got foxy secretaries to interview." He said cheerfully. I gagged in response and his laughter followed us out the door.

* * *

Skulduggery really had wanted to take me out for coffee, and as we settled into a booth in a small diner my puzzlement had deepened. He lied like a rug all the time but he didn't like to spend time together unless it was related to a case. "So, there really is no case?" I tried again after the waitress refilled my mug.

"Not really. But if it would make you feel better I could shoot someone and then we'd have a case." He said brightly, and I couldn't help it, it made me laugh. He was back to being silly, everything was going to be OK.

* * *

 **Oh, Val, honey, don't ever say that in one of my stories, you should know better by now.**


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I don't own Skulduggery, Valkyrie or anyone else you may recognize. Thanks go out to **Blufox03** for reviewing.

* * *

It dawned on me why Skulduggery had brought me to the diner. This was his way of saying goodbye. I'd always wondered if he would just walk away some day, someone had once warned me he would, and now it was happening. "Is something wrong Valkyrie?" He asked attentively.

I looked at him a while before replying. I didn't blame him. As mages went a lot still treated me like a child even though I was in my twenties. It wasn't unheard of for older mages to fall in love with younger ones, but he had to think I was cute. And I was tired of being cute, of being the Sanctuary joke. "Why are we here?" I asked.

Skulduggery looked out the window to the Bentley then back at me. "You tell me. You've been the one ringing me all week and hanging up on me. And while I'm flattered-" Skulduggery, clearly reading my expression, broke off and we both froze.

"Skulduggery, I have't been calling you, I swear." I said in a low voice. "But why would anyone pretend to be me?"

"Again, you tell me."

"From the let down speech you were about to give me we have four options." I said, then counted off on my fingers. "One, someone wants to drive us apart. Two, someone needed you out of your house."

"Or you out of yours." Skulduggery interrupted and I glared at him. "Sorry."

"That makes three, the fourth option would be to get us both together in the same location." I trailed off, flicking my glance over the room as he'd taught me to and kicking myself for not doing it before. The diner patrons looked normal but that didn't mean much in our world. Skulduggery looked normal if you didn't look too closely

"You are forgetting the fifth and frankly, the most obvious solutions." Skulduggery said.

"What?"

"Your partner is hallucinating again." He sounded frightened and I knew he thought he was hallucinating, trapped back with the Faceless Ones.

"No, I don't think you are. But I haven't been ringing you. It's been my number?" I asked and he nodded. "But why do it?" I asked. The man in the booth behind us shifted and I froze. We were careful to never discuss magic in public so civilians couldn't hear us, and I got the sense the man had been listening.

Then he spoke in that familiar Texan accent and I remembered belatedly that he'd come in after us and I'd ignored him like I ignored most people. "Well, could be that someone got a hold of your mobile once or twice. You really ought to ward your home better, Miss Cain."

"Why are you here?" I asked, not turning around.

"Just passin' through. Was real fun livin' in the mansion with you the last several days. Watchin' you go about your day and not even bein' noticed. You're gettin' sloppy, girlie." I turned to face him and saw the smug look on his handsome features. With his sandy blond hair and stunning good looks he'd attracted the waitresses' attention too, but he seemed to only be looking at me.

"And now that I know you aren't in any type of relationship and I've had my fun pullin' his chain, why don't you come back to Texas with me?" I just stared at him. Billy-Ray couldn't be serious. "I'm a one woman man and not that much older."

"We hate each other, remember?" I asked, then I was being shaken and I awake in the Bentley. We were parked outside a small diner, like the one from my dream.

"You feel asleep as soon as you got in." Skulduggery tsked. "Let's get some coffee in you and then go see to the Hall of Magical Cabinets."

"So we have a case?" I asked, wondering how I could have fallen asleep so easily and not realized it.

"Yes. If you stop falling asleep and mumbling to yourself. Billy-Ray has been popping up in some unusual places and asking questions about my partner." Skulduggery hesitated, then went on. "Coffee first. But not to worry. He's likely under the influence of some other mage. He seems to have taken quite a shine to you, and not in his normal homicidal manner."

"Lucky me." I said with a sigh as we got out. This night was just looking better and better.

* * *

 **I couldn't get the story to move along, then good ol' Billy-Ray showed up. I don't own him, either.**


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Skulduggery, Erskine, Ghastly, Tanith, China (gag), or Billy-Ray. Thanks go out to **Blufox03** for reviewing.

* * *

As soon as I'd gotten coffee and got settled into a booth in the empty diner Skulduggery's mobile rang. He stepped outside to answer, ever the gentleman. He glanced back at me and I watched his posture. He was worried, and his bright tone when he rejoined me showed it. "How's the coffee? Good? Would you like some doughnuts?" He asked.

"Skulduggery, what's wrong?"

"Hmm? Nothing's wrong. Everything's good."

"Skulduggery!" I growled and he sighed.

"Billy-Ray showed up at the Sanctuary. Erskine had him shown to his office and Ghastly was there. Ghastly's always been protective of you and when Billy-Ray asked Erskine as, and I'm quoting here: the only responsible adult in the room for your hand in marriage, Ghastly hit him."

I whistled in appreciation. "How hard?"

"Haymaker. I've seen him miss and do damage to walls, so Billy-Ray went down like a house of cards and is currently in the gaol in a cell designed just for him. He isn't going anywhere and it will give us time to figure out who is behind all of this."

I nodded and sipped my coffee and took Skulduggery up on his offer of doughnuts. He was keeping us away from the Sanctuary and I knew it, but didn't mind too much. "What kind of magic could make him forget Tanith just like that?" I asked and Skulduggery shrugged.

"That part might not be magic. Every man has the one that got away." He said and then looked away, embarrassed. I just shrugged in reply. I guessed he meant China or maybe his wife but it wasn't really my business.

"Do you think it would be a good idea for me to play along and see what he wants?" I asked and Skulduggery tilted his head in a smile.

"Our own little Mata Hari. I'm not sure yet. We're guessing he was sent to lure you somewhere. Unless, of course, he actually is in love with you." There was a dangerous note in Skulduggery's voice and I was glad the diner was empty except for the bored waitress who'd went in the back after leaving our bill.

We paid up and left, but Skulduggery didn't move once we got into the Bentley. He was thinking, so I belted up without being told. "Valkyrie, and I'm only asking this as a friend, but you haven't been encouraging Billy-Ray, have you?"

"What?" I growled, cocking back my arm to punch him and he held up his gloved hands in protest.

"OK, OK! I just had to check. He was going on about all your calls and romantic e-mails-" Skulduggery trailed off and I swore he was blushing.

"With Billy-Ray? Gross, no!"

"Good girl. Seat belt." Skulduggery said automatically as he at last put the Bentley into drive. "I didn't think you'd been but we had to make sure before we had you both in the same Sanctuary. I'm rather fond of my partner and don't want her running off with Billy-Ray." He teased.

"Suddenly he's the hottest guy on the planet. I have to have him, you can't stop our love." I teased back and we both laughed. It was good to be friends again. The strangeness of the last few weeks had lifted and I guessed it had come from Billy-Ray being back.

I wondered who had sent him and why he'd even bothered to come. Billy-Ray only wanted to kill me as far as I knew and I didn't believe for a minute he was in love with me. I certainly wasn't in love with him and promised myself a long vacation somewhere he couldn't find me after all of this was over.

* * *

 **Well, well. Things are getting interesting. Would be a real shame if Billy-Ray escaped somehow, wouldn't it? A real shame.**


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Skulduggery, Ghastly or Billy-Ray.

* * *

Skulduggery's mobile rang as we drove and he put it on speaker. "Change of plans." Ghastly's voice rumbled. "Billy-Ray managed to escape the cell designed for him. As we don't know where he is we think it's best to put Valkyrie somewhere she'll be safe. Anton will meet you, but the less we know, the better."

He rang off then Skulduggery had me dialing Anton's number. "Valkyrie?" His voice drifted into the Bentley, somehow comforting me. "It's good to hear from you, though I wish the circumstances were better. I'll be bringing the Midnight Hotel to you. Do the two of you remember where to meet me?" Skulduggery said he did then rang off.

I looked at him worriedly. "Ghastly said you all want me put away for safe keeping. This doesn't make sense. Skulduggery. I've had Billy-Ray after me before."

"Not convinced he was in love with you, you haven't. Until we can figure out if he is just more insane than usual, or truly in love with you, we proceed with caution. He must have left in a hurry as he didn't bother to pick up his things. Valkyrie, his mobile has thousands of romantic texts, from you."

"I'm going to throw up. Could he be doing this himself?"

"That's a good question." Skulduggery said as he drove into the woods where we'd meet Anton at the Midnight Hotel. "And I trust you when you say you aren't doing it. Whoever this is is obsessed with the man, and we're protecting you from them as well." I nodded glumly.

It didn't make sense for us to separate. Unless, of course, Skulduggery was also a suspect.

* * *

Anton greeted me warmly and ushered me inside quickly. "Good to see you as always, Valkyrie." He said, bundling me into a hug. "I understand you are having problems with a former guest. And before you worry he is off the guest list. We're actually in lock down with no guests, so you're quite safe. " He said, his smile warm and gentle.

We stepped back and I felt the hotel shake slightly. "We're on the move, not even Skulduggery can know where you are, sorry." He said as I handed over my mobile.

"Then he is a suspect?" I asked and Anton nodded. "You two have been being watched all night. We don't know at this point if Billy-Ray is the cause of his strange behaviour, or..." Anton drifted off.

"Or if he set up Billy-Ray, but why?"

"I don't know and I don't care to speculate. Now, have you eaten?" I had, but as Anton led me to the kitchen I was suddenly ravenous at the smell of the beef stew he'd made. Anton ushered me to the table, getting my chair for me and I smiled my thanks.

I watched him as he got us both stew. He was handsome in a dark sort of way, preferring dark suits that sheathed his tall, muscular build and he wore his long black hair loose. He had grey eyes and strong, chiseled features, but it was that quiet voice that captivated most people.

He was also the best fighter among the Dead Men so I knew if I was with him and not Skulduggery there was more going on than I was being told. I wondered why Skulduggery was even a suspect. And why had we been watched? There was too much I didn't know. I shivered slightly. Skulduggery had a way of becoming unbalanced when I was involved. "Cold?" Anton's voice asked kindly.

"No, just thinking about the case." I said as he put both our bowls down and bread besides. There was coffee and I knew I'd be up all night, but I needed some after the case going so strange so quickly. "Anton, you've known Skulduggery longer than I have," I began and he gave me a wry smile, slight lines crinkling around his eyes. "does this sound like something he'd do?"

""Not that I know of, but I try and not underestimate people. Don't worry, it will sort itself out soon enough." I nodded and we finished our meal and then Anton showed me to my room. It was in the same hallway his was, across from his. I murmured my thanks and went in, latching the door behind me and falling asleep in my clothes.

* * *

I woke up a mess and feeling lousy, but I showered and found Anton had set things aside for me to get ready with. I met him in the kitchen and he smiled as he took im my rumpled clothes. "You could have changed into a guest robe and let me see to your clothes. But that's what I get for taking a Dead Man on as a guest." His voice was dry and his lips twitched in amusement.

I blushed slightly and sat down to breakfast. "Thanks. Any news?" I asked and Anton raised an eyebrow so I tried again. "I meant thanks for breakfast and how are you?" I tried.

"That's better. I am well. There is no news on the case, and you are free to enjoy the Midnight Hotel."

"Speaking of which-" I began but he cut me off.

"You are my guest, Valkyrie. I don't charge friends. At least not when another friend had been acting stranger than usual. And no, I don't think Skulduggery is behind this, at least not in a romantic sense. He's more direct and would be showering you with gifts."

"Could he have wanted to be my hero?"

"He knows he is. Still, you have a point." Anton said thoughtfully. "We're not far from Tokyo. Would you like to go sight seeing later?"

"Tokyo?" I asked, startled.

Anton laughed softly. "Why do you think you were given to me for safe keeping? I can move faster and farther than Skulduggery can, no matter how hard he tries."

"Sight seeing it is." I agreed and he smiled at me. Though the paranoid voice in the back of my head whispered that everyone should be a suspect, even Anton.

* * *

 **Girl just can not catch a break with me, can she? Five chapters in and no romance. I think I hit a new record or something.**


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Skulduggery, Anton or Serpine.

* * *

Anton looked over at me as he drove towards the city. "i hope you know we aren't treating you like a helpless female, Valkyrie. You're one of us, I'd do the same for any of the other Dead Men. There's something about Skulduggery that inspires loyalty. None of us want to fight him and we didn't want you to have to either."

"But he taught me how to fight!" I protested.

"So you think he taught you everything he knew? No, he wouldn't, and you'd do well to remember that, Valkyrie. He knows you better than anyone else, so he knows your weaknesses. If Skulduggery is the one behind all this, we want you out of harm's way."

"Then why not just arrest him?" I asked angrily. "Seriously, it sounds like you are all convinced he's guilty."

Anton sighed sadly. "And your love and loyalty make you blind to the man's dark side, Valkyrie. I want you to think of something. We all know the story of his wife's death. But do we know the real story?"

"Of course we do, and it's the only story that makes sense. And there were witnesses."

"All conveniently dead, and all people the given story helped. But what if there was no abduction, Valkyrie? What if his wife was there willingly?" It all seemed like a bad nightmare. There was no way his wife would have left him for Serpine, was there? Anton seemed to read my thoughts. "They were lovers, Valkyrie. Skulduggery knew this."

"Even after she was married?" I asked and he shrugged. An uneasy thought came to me. Skulduggery changed the truth to suit his needs. "Was it even his child?"

Anton looked over as he pulled up to a small shop. "Now you're thinking like a Dead Man. We don't know. And even if Skulduggery told us all the truth the other possibility is that Serpine set this all up long ago. He wasn't good in a fight but as a general he could plan well ahead." I nodded and we got out then began browsing the shops.

Anton didn't strike me as the kind of man who liked shopping, but we enjoyed ourselves. He stoked up for the Midnight Hotel and treated me to lunch out. As we returned to the hotel I was tired and went to my room for a lie down, my mind whirling. Skulduggery had always avoided his past with me unless someone else brought it up.

I didn't want to think of him as capable of hurting his family and I still didn't think he was, but if Serpine had his wife with him willingly and the child hadn't been his... I shivered. We didn't even know if Skulduggery had been capable of fathering children. And I hoped as I drifted off I'd wake up to find out it was all a bad dream.

* * *

My dream was more like a nightmare. I was in a bedroom in a castle, admiring myself in a mirror. But I wasn't me, I was a blond woman, tall, shapely, beautiful and dressed in rich clothing. The door opened behind me and in the mirror I could see Serpine enter the room.

My heart flooded with love, something that frightened me, but I couldn't escape the dream as he crossed the room and took me in his arms. His lips brushed mine then he looked down at me. "I love you, and soon, my dear, we'll be together forever as we were always meant to be."

I woke up, my heart pounding. I felt guilty for the dream, like I'd been spying or just had it from being jealous of Skulduggery's wife. I didn't want to think she was capable of being with anyone else. I wanted everyone else to be wrong.

I managed to stumble out to the kitchen to make coffee and Anton found me there. He didn't ask me anything, just ushered to to the common room and sat me in front of the fireplace. He brought in coffee for both uf us and we sat in silence. Waiting.

* * *

 **Waiting for what, one wonders**.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Skulduggery, Anton, Billy-Ray, China or Serpine.

* * *

In my dreams that night I saw Serpine again. He was older this time, more like I remembered him. He was dressed differently as well, as he had been before his death. His green eyes glittered as he looked at me and he approached to caress my cheek with his gloved right hand. I shivered slightly, wondering why we were in a tunnel of the castle dimply lit by torches this time.

It was cold and damp and I realized with a start as you only can in dreams that we were somehow really there. "Well done, Valkyrie." He said as he stepped back. "Or should I say, Alyssa?" He asked. "You've always loved him, haven't you? Didn't that ever strike you as distinctly odd?"

"Skulduggery?" I asked. "I never thought about it. He saved my life, I was twelve."

"No, you remembered before. Your past life when you were mine and he stole you from me."

"Skulduggery would never do that!"

"Yes, he would, just to get to me. Do you truly remember nothing of our time together? China was a friend to both of us, she noticed the change before I did. He used magic on you, Alyssa, to steal you away from me. China tried to help, she even showed you proof but you wouldn't believe her. She tried to rescue you after our child was born, but you fought her."

"No." I said backing up in horror.

"Yes!" She rescued you, brought you back home where you belonged. We'd just cured you when he'd found my castle. I was away at the front lines and the wards were nothing for him to dismantle. I arrived home to find the castle in mourning." I shook my head in disbelief.

"Then why was he hunting you? Tell me that."

"He made up his cover story and as his side had won I was a war criminal. To protect your memory I let his lie stand unchallenged. But I'd never have hurt you, Alyssa, never." Serpine looked at me intently. "Come find me. Come, find the castle. Find me, my love." Then I was waking up, covering in sweat, but shivering.

I was making coffee in my room, trying to be quiet when a knock on my door made me jump. "Valkyrie, are you all right?" It was Anton's voice. I slipped the hotel robe he'd given me over the jersey we'd bought in town and opened the door. Anton looked down at me in concern. "You were screaming." He said gently.

I let him in. "Nightmare." I admitted. "About Serpine."

"That will do it." Anton agreed, then acted interested in the brewing coffee so I could slip on jeans and a pair of trainers and out of the robe. He glanced at me as I joined him. "Would you like to talk about it?" He asked gently.

We sat at the table the coffee maker was on and I described the dream. Anton looked thoughtful. "Her name was Alyssa, that much I can tell you and it would make sense that the baby was his. But I told you about Serpine's end games. This dream could have been fed to you. Did you feel anything towards Serpine?"

"Revulsion."

"That's all?"

"When he mentioned our past together for a brief moment-" I broke off and flushed.

"For a brief moment, you loved him. And if anyone besides Skulduggery could return from the dead it would be Serpine, He wasn't even alive when you two fought him. It is highly possible he didn't stay dead, what happened to his ashes?"

"I don't know." I admitted. "Thrown in a bin? I've no idea."

"I'll make some calls and find out. Drink your coffee, I'll be back shortly." Anton gave me another glance as if he were going to say something, then left. I realized then I'd forgotten entirely about a bra and flushed red again as I hurriedly dug one out of a drawer. By the time he had come back I'd combed my hair and washed my face as well and felt presentable.

Anton gave me a brief nod the sat again. "You're right. To show their utter contempt of the man Serpine's ashes were to be gathered and binned, but they were gone. Everyone blamed somebody else, some even thought Skulduggery took them, but nobody dared bring it up lest they loose their job." He sighed. "This is why I hate Sanctuaries, too much power yet nothing ever gets done."

"So, they just vanished?" I asked uneasily. I didn't like the idea of them vanishing and could easily imagine anyone could have snuck in and stolen them. "All right, let's say they did, you can't bring people back from ashes, can you?"

"Can't you? He wasn't only a zombie at that point, Valkyrie, but an apex of the species. Given enough time it's quite possible what was left of him reformed. He may be effectively immortal at this point."

I liked that even less. "I have a feeling we have to head to his castle to find out, don't we?" I asked.

"We do." Anton agreed. "Either Serpine is indeed back and behind all this, though it admittedly makes no sense for him to use Billy-Ray as a pawn. Unless, of course Billy-Ray's obsession with you is separate entirely." His mobile buzzed before he could continue and Anton stepped out to answer it. He came back in and looked at me for the longest time. "Billy-Ray's been found. Dead. Killed in a way only Serpine left his victims." The hotel shook slightly and I felt fear in my heart. Was Serpine really back, and if he was, did I really want to go to his castle?

* * *

 **Sure, Val, go to the creepy castle. What's the worst that could happen?**


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Skulduggery, Anton, or Serpine. I'm about to really play with how magic works in the SP universe, but that is what AUs are for.

* * *

Anton looked at me closely. "Since it appears Serpine is back his castle will be checked by the Sanctuary. You still would have time to go there on your own if you wanted to. It's your choice." He said gently.

"What?" I asked. "He's guilty of murder, even if it was only Billy-Ray, of course it has to be checked. Him being back is not good." Anton stared at me and I flushed and looked away. "You said the dreams could be fed to me, yeah? So who says this isn't Serpine trying to finish what he started when I was twelve?"

"It could be, but you have certain rights according to my calls. Alyssa and Serpine were secretly married. In their own cult to be sure, but it still invalidated her marriage to Skulduggery. Serpine had been trying for a very long time to bring his wife back and it is now believed he succeeded, with you."

I stared at Anton. "What? How? And if he did why didn't he recognize me?"

"Sometimes love makes men do strange things. He was perhaps dimly aware of who you were, that he had in fact succeeded. Do I have to remind you Alyssa was seeing two men at once? Serpine had been left behind for Skulduggery and that magic was involved wouldn't ease the pain for him. He loved you."

"How are you so sure I am Alyssa?" I asked, and Anton sighed.

"She was my sister. I'd thought it had been only wishful thinking, but you are too much alike. And you took the same magical name. Everyone assumed Skulduggery had fed it to you, but I can see from your expression he didn't." Anton smiled gently. "The others recognized you as well, but we all thought Skulduggery had groomed you into being her double, consciously or unconsciously."

"And we have a way of knowing. You were a Necromancer then as well." Anton dipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a ring. It was the double of the one I wore. "You see? If this ring is yours, just holding it will let you know what you need to know. "

"But, how?" I asked and he shrugged.

"Serpine called you back to him. I feel it's your choice whether you go to him or not. Alyssa and Serpine were deeply in love. I didn't approve of my sister's choice, but Serpine worshiped the ground she walked on."

"He killed my uncle, he killed Skulduggery and his family."

"Skulduggery, yes. Likely in revenge for killing you and your child. But as for killing his own family? Serpine might be demented but he wouldn't have hurt Alyssa for anything. Not even the Faceless Ones. He worshiped her. He likely felt that knowing his own true name would reunite you forever. It doesn't condone his actions, but Skulduggery has killed for less. We all have."

Anton put the ring in my palm and gently closed my hand around it, then left quietly, closing the door behind him softly. My mind whirled as I fingered the ring he'd given me. I didn't dare put it on but Anton had been right. Just holding it was unlocking memories. I remembered first meeting Serpine, when he hadn't been so fanatical. How I'd been reading in China's library and looked up to see a handsome man with intense green eyes staring at me.

I'd known his reputation, heard what his gloved hand could do and he'd frightened me, even though I'd been a Necromancer then as well. Serpine had smiled at me though and approached. "I've seen you here before. What you should really be reading are books on the side that's going to win. You should be reading about the Faceless Ones."

"Why would I do that?" I'd asked carefully, not wanting to anger him. We'd been alone, China curiously absent from the library.

"Because when they return, and they will, I intend to have you by my side as my queen." He'd taken my hand in his, kissed it, then left with a courtly bow. I hadn't been impressed or trusted him, but his persistence after that first meeting had won me over.

Serpine had been a gentleman while he courted me, meeting me in China's library at first, then walking with me in his castle gardenss when I'd trusted him enough to go there. Eventually I fell deeply in love with the strange general, even though I didn't think our side had a chance of winning.

We were secretly married in his faith that I hadn't shared, but after that I remembered nothing.

I did however remember how kind and gentle a husband he'd been, a stark contrast to the bitter fanatic I'd fought in my current life but now I knew why. He'd been trying for centuries to call his wife back to him and finally succeeded without knowing it. I wondered how he'd finally recognized me, but I guessed if the others had that was easy enough.

Then he'd been alive, or undead this whole time and keeping watch. I shivered, wondering why he'd even want me. I'd already seen two men at once in this life and he had to know how I felt for Skulduggery. Though the longer I thought about it my love for Skulduggery seemed like a misty dream. I didn't know what I felt for Serpine.

Part of me wanted revenge and part of my truly loved him or I had in my past life. I shook my head angrily. What was wrong with me? I was Valkyrie Cain. I had to avenge my uncle, anything with Serpine had happened in another life. But more memories came. Seeing his tears of joy when he at last got to hold his son, seeing the bliss on his face when the fog of the spell Skulduggery had put me under cleared and feeling him kiss me again and butterflies explode in my stomach like they always did.

I shook my head again to clear it. None of this made any sense. Even if Serpine was the good guy here, and I realized the term wasn't right for him, even if Skulduggery had killed Alyssa and the child in a jealous rage and Serpine had gotten revenge, something still didn't fit. Had he been that desperate to get me back, if I was Alyssa, that he was willing to kill for me?

I sighed. Whatever we had had was over, I knew that. What I'd felt, if they were even my memories, was another woman's love for Serpine. And even if it had been me and the memories were mine, he'd still killed Skulduggery. He'd still killed my uncle and I intended to see him pay.

* * *

 **How unromantical of Val.**


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Skulduggery, Anton or Serpine.

* * *

We headed for Serpine's castle, and as confused as I was, I still wanted to kill him. But I knew the way down to the tunnel we'd been in in my dream and as he came into view I felt my resolve falter. I had to remind myself that I wanted to decapitate him with my shadows, I wanted to get revenge for my uncle and Skulduggery. Most of all, I wanted him to suffer for destroying my faith in Skulduggery as a good guy.

Serpine was watching us come and smiling. What freaked me out was that it wasn't his usual sarcastic smile. That I could have handled. It wasn't cold or pitying either. It was warm, the way a man smiles when he sees the one he loves and I felt my heart surge in response. I stopped dead, Anton beside me, and Serpine slowly approached, his green eyes glittering in the torchlight.

He reached up his gloved hand as he had in my dream and caressed my face. "Alyssa." He murmured. I closed my eyes, revulsion and the urge to hurt him fighting my need to give into the new and confusing feelings of love for him. Serpine took my gesture as a good sign and I felt his arms wrap around me gently.

I wanted to fight, expecting a trap, but instead I felt the warmth of his lips on mine and heard the distinct _click_ of a revolver hammer being thumbed back. "Let go of my partner." Skulduggery growled.

I opened my eyes as I felt Serpine back up, Turning, I saw Skulduggery step out from the alcove where he must have waited. "Valkyrie, come to me. It's all right." He reached his hand out to me.

"So you can take my wife away from me twice?" Serpine hissed as he put his hands on my shoulders to turn me back to him. "Alyssa-"

"Alyssa?" Skulduggery barked laughter. "Are you so deranged you think she's my dead wife? Wasn't it enough for you to kill my family, you want another go at it?"

"My family, and _you_ killed them." Serpine said as he stepped away from me. "Alyssa, get away. It's not safe for you here." And with that, whatever spell Serpine had put on me broke. I fired a punch into his face and he stumbled backward. I dropped and swept his legs out from under him, then was on him, beating his head off the stone floor.

It took both Anton and Skulduggery to drag me off of him. "Let me kill him!" I snarled.

"Alyssa!" Serpine tried as he reached for me beseechingly and I almost escaped them in my rage. Skulduggery stepped back, letting Anton pin my arms behind me.

""I knew the right bait would draw the little rodent out of hiding." He muttered as he stepped forward and cuffed Serpine.

"You used me as _bait_?" I roared. "Skulduggery Pleasant, I am going to kill you!" I raged.

He laughed. "Good luck killing a dead man." He thought about it then laughed over what he'd said. And as enraged as I was I grinned back weakly as he hauled Serpine to his feet. "Anton was good enough to go along with it, but you still love us, right?" He asked.

Anton let me go and I turned to face him. "If you weren't bigger and stronger than me..." I growled and he smiled. "So you knew, and you helped?"

"Yes, but it's why you were entrusted with me. I'd have been very happy to rip Mr. Serpine to pieces. Alyssa was my sister, that much was true. But we had to support the lies our sensitives knew he was feeding you in your dreams."

"Wait, "our"? You hate Sanctuaries."

"I don't hate the Dead Men. Well, I don't hate _you_." He teased and smiled as he led the way back out. I noticed Serpine and Skulduggery weren't following us, but didn't mention it. He deserved to do whatever he felt like to Serpine.

"I feel so stupid. How could I fall for all his lies, Anton? I knew better." I asked as he led the way to his compact.

Anton looked at me. "It happens to the best of us. He was obsessed with Alyssa and any dreams he fed you were his version of things. She was terrified of the man. I was relieved when Skulduggery married her, I thought it would make Serpine realize she'd never be his."

"Women don't belong to anyone." I grumbled as we got in.

"You know what I mean." Anton said gently.

"Billy-ray?" I asked.

"Actually dead. That much was also real. We don't often have two maniacs obsessed with you at the same time, and luckily this time one canceled the other out."

"Anton!" I scolded mildly. But he was right As demented as Serpine was, he'd killed to protect me. Of course, he'd also killed my uncle, Skulduggery and his family and countless others, so it didn't give me the warm fuzzies.

As we pulled away, leaving the Bentley behind, I somehow knew Skulduggery would be returning to us without his prisoner and for once I didn't mind a bit.

* * *

 **Well! I didn't see that coming, did you?**


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Skulduggery, Anton or Serpine.

* * *

Skulduggery arrived at the Midnight Hotel some time later, and we met him on the porch. He looked at me, then tilted his head in a smile and held out his arms. "Miss me?" He asked cheerfully.

"I am still going to kill you!" I roared, and was flying towards him. Skulduggery merely sidestepped, caught my punch and spun me into him, his free arm cradling me into him.

"You know, some girls would be impressed that I saved them." He said smugly. I elbowed him sharply in the ribs and he let go with a grunt as I rounded on him.

"You? You didn't save anybody! You used me as bait for a maniac! I saved myself!" I snarled.

Anton cleared his throat behind us and raised an eyebrow at me. It was funny how he didn't have to say a word to make me behave. "Sorry." I mumbled. "Maybe Skulduggery helped. A little." Anton snorted, handed me my packed bag that had been at his feet, then I and Skulduggery were headed to the Bentley without another word.

The hotel disappeared and Skulduggery looked at me over the roof of the car. "I missed having my best friend with me." He said, sounding vulnerable for once.

"I missed you too. But you're done right? Being weird and keeping things from me?" I asked and he chuckled as we got in after stowing my bag in the boot.

"Bait doesn't work if it knows it is bait, and I was never far away from you, Valkyrie. Funny how many places there are for a skeleton to hide in the Midnight Hotel."

"But the case, the Bentley-"

"Hidden in a secret garage of Anton's attached to the rear of the hotel. Don't tell me you never went back there?" Skulduggery tsked me. "And I ran the investigation remotely as we usually do."

I let it go for once. Part of me was angry with him, but strangely, I understood. I'd never been in any real danger. There had been three Dead Men together all the time I suspected, and the thought of him hiding in Anton's boot as we toured Tokyo made me grin. "What?" He Skulduggery asked happily.

"You, you were riding around in Anton's boot, weren't you?" I asked and he nodded.

"And out and shadowing you all day. I was always nearby. I wasn't about to let that maniac hurt you. You aren't Alyssa, by the way." He said gently.

I flushed. "I kind of figured that out. But why did _he_ believe it?" I asked and Skulduggery shrugged.

"He's always been unbalanced, Valkyrie. That and literally pulling himself back together didn't do his sanity any wonders. And there always has been something about you. Something I can't place I suspect Serpine felt it too and his mind twisted it to his own purposes. Coffee?"

I laughed. "This all started with coffee, more or less, but, yeah. And we're good? Still partners?"

"Don't be daft. Until the end, remember?" He asked and there was a note in his velvety voice. I could walk away because he didn't love me and never would or I could stay.

"Yeah, until the end." I agreed. "But on one condition?" I asked.

"Yes?" His voice was careful.

"New wig. I don't know how Brook fangirls didn't jump you in Tokyo."

Skulduggery pulled over and removed the disguise then tapped his collarbones. A handsome face flowed over his bones, and it didn't stop. I watched, entranced as it kept going and a man of flesh and blood was sitting beside me. "Cool." I managed.

"Cool indeed. I felt it was time for an upgrade and needed the old disguise as I healed. You approve?" He tilted his head as he normally did and his lips twitched into a devilish smile. "I take it you do." He purred.

"Shut up, Skulduggery." I growled and he laughed and started driving again.

"Seatbelt." He said, amused.

I buckled and flushed, looking out the window. "You're an idiot." I said and he laughed again.

"Come on, it's fun to tease a pretty girl." And as stupid as it was I was charmed.

"I'm pretty?" I asked "Now?"

"Why not now?" He asked. "Because you were snogging Serpine's face off? I forgive you. You're the one who almost had his-"

"Skulduggery!" I barked and he wheezed with laughter. We stopped eventually for coffee, Skulduggery in a mellow mood from having turned the radio on. That he'd picked an easy listening channel and not news was odd, but I was happy to be back together and didn't point it out.

He ordered as well and I just watched in fascination as he sipped his coffee calmly, then winked at me. I felt my cheeks burn and he grinned at me. "You do me a world of good, Valkyrie Cain." I wrinkled my brow in confusion and he gestured to his collarbones.

"Well, you're more handsome without going to any trouble." I said, figuring that was safe. "Don't gloat, you are always telling me how handsome you are."

"I am, and talented, and now, I'm simply amazing, aren't I?" He preened.

"And modest." I said dryly.

"Modesty if for those who lack drive and talent. I lack neither, nor do you, never let me catch you being modest. It's revolting in talented people."

"Um, thanks?"

"You're quite welcome. Now then, you tell me, what looks good?" He asked then stared at me and suddenly snapped his gloved fingers in my face. "On the _menu_. I swear, Valkyrie."

"Um, burgers?" I tried and he nodded and ordered when the waitress returned. Skulduggery looked at me slightly worried.

"Valkyrie, are you all right?"

"I think I'm going into shock, actually. You just look, well, you've always looked good, but you look amazing now. It's an adjustment." Skulduggery made an amused sound in response.

"So glad you approve." He purred, flirting again.

"You knock that off." I said as I flushed.

"I'm allowed to flirt with pretty girls."

"I'm not a girl, I'm your partner." I tried and he winked at me again. I sighed. This was going to be a long and confusing partnership from now on, I could sense it. "Why the change? Why now?" I asked hoping to distract him.

"The case made me realize Alyssa's never coming back." He said softly. "I'll love my family forever, but it's time for me to move on. Oh, I've flirted with women for centuries, I'm no saint, but it never meant anything beyond proving I still _could_."

"That's incredibly shallow, and frankly, creepy." I said and Skulduggery waited until our platters were placed in front of us and the waitress left before replying.

"I know. And it would take quite a woman to look beyond that, and beyond my past."

"You'll find her." I said encouragingly. I hated seeing him sad.

"I have. I just haven't had the courage to tell her I love her."

"I'll make her date you." I said supportively and his eyebrows went up.

"That's sexism, what happened to women not needing men? Women's rights?"

"Shut up, this is different. You're my best friend."

"And you're mine. But suppose she dates me as you put it and ends up hating me?"

"I liked you better when you were arrogant." I said and he smiled wryly. "So, she hates it, she'll live."

"But I don't know if I will." He said and had he said it any other time I'd had laughed at him. "But I have to man up and tell her, don't I?"

"It would help." I said gently.

"Then, I will." He said, nodding as if to reassure himself. We finished, mostly relaxing and listening to the music pouring out of the overhead speakers then paid up and left. Skulduggery stopped me outside of the diner with a tentative hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah?" I turned to him, thinking I'd forgotten my mobile or something in the diner and Skulduggery drug me into a heart stopping kiss. I met him, going limp in his arms and sighing happily. We parted and it was a good thing he was still with me.

"There. I told her." He said gently. "I may be no saint, Valkyrie Cain, but I do love you."

"I love you too." I managed, the he was drawing me in for another kiss and I was happier than I had been in a very long time.

* * *

 **Finis?**


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